Conner Kempe Celebrates the Successes in his Young Life

Conner Kempe has many reasons to be thankful. He's stared death in the face, and been accepted to prestigious schools, while possessing a talent for sports that hundreds of people wish they had. He has experience in government and law, all while enjoying his favorite recreational activity. It was actually his favorite sport that nearly cost him his life.

In 2006, Conner Kempe was almost killed while kiteboarding. During this time, he was a nationally ranked high school quarterback. The incident made national news. For Conner Kempe, surviving was miraculous. Some of the colleges looking to recruit him for football began to question his ability to play, but after his recovery, Dartmouth College took him into their ranks. The Ivy League school made Conner Kempe one of their quarterbacks, where he finished third-all-time in passing yards, total yards, and completions.

Another point of gratification in his youth was his position as a congressional intern in Washington. He interned under Congressman Rooney in the Summer of 2011 before he was accepted at the prestigious Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, Bridge Program. Conner Kempe successfully completed his degree in economics, after which he was accepted to 20 different law schools.

Conner Kempe gained an interest in environmental law and public interest when his passion for kiteboarding grew. His education at Dartmouth motivated him to try to make a difference in how people look at environmental protection. Conner Kempe decided on Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida,  just a mile from prime kiteboarding beaches. 

Most recently, Conner Kempe impressively received the Ocean Conservancy's People's Choice Award for Photography. He won the award for his picture "Edge-N'-Pop." It depicts a kiteboarder against an ominous stormy sky with rays of sunshine. The picture that won Conner Kempe the award represents, to him, his passion and fight to preserve and enjoy the beauty and power of the ocean and nature.

Conner Kempe's Love of Kiteboarding Led him to Law School in Florida

Conner Kempe is driven to succeed in law. In the summer of 2011, he interned with Congressman Rooney in Washington. Soon afterward, Conner Kempe was accepted to the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College's Bridge Program. In 2012, Conner Kempe completed his degree in economics.  However, Conner Kempe was driven to attend law school indirectly because of his interest of kiteboarding.  His passion for the sport led Conner Kempe to take an interest in environmental law.

After applying to multiple law schools, Conner Kempe was thrilled to learn he'd been accepted to 20 different schools. Although he ultimately chose Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida, Conner Kempe received his letter of acceptance to the Vermont College of Law. This was significant as Conner Kempe was pursuing Environmental Law and Vermont College of Law was ranked first in the country in this field.

Conner Kempe turned down the top environmental law school in the country because he wanted to continue kiteboarding. While he would have loved to attend law school in Vermont, the cold temperatures did not suit Conner Kempe and his love for outdoor recreation. Kiteboarding and the proximity to the beach was certainly part of what led Conner Kempe to accept Stetson University College of Law so quickly. 

Stetson University Law in Gulfport is not far from Tampa Bay and the coast of St. Petersburg. Because of the location, Conner Kempe considers this a prime spot for kiteboarding. While Conner Kempe loved Dartmouth, it often was a very cold environment. Since Conner Kempe tries to kiteboard every weekend as a break from his studies, the proximity of Stetson University Law to the beach was the prime factor in his decision to move to Florida. The sport brings him balance, and in 2013, he won the 2013 Ocean Conservancy Peoples' Choice Award for his Photo "Edge-N'-Pop"  for his photo capturing the sport.